When navigating social media, we are often bombarded with ads offering free Do It Yourself web design tools. At first glance, this looks interesting, honestly who does not want free services, especially if it helps promote our companies and add value to our business. This is the image the free Do It Yourself website industry wants to give us, however this is far from the truth.
What is a DIY web builder?
A DIY Website builder is simply a block-building platform, where you quickly can put some blocks together containing text and images. In reality, you get some blocks and it is up to your imagination, how you put them together.
Depending on your eye for design and your knowledge of marketing and communication, you can get some good results with a DIY web builder. Though this is far from the case for the majority of those who try to build their own websites. Building a website is not just about placing blocks on a page, you need experience, knowledge, and the ability to create a dynamic website, which engages the visitors.
Are DIY web builders really free?
Let us be clear about one fact, nothing is free ever.
The business model is based on giving you free access to a website builder, however, if you are serious about your business you will want to point your own domain name to your website, and here comes the catch, you will have to pay a monthly subscription to continue using the so-called free Do-It-Yourself web builder.
The business model
- You are sold the free services
- You spend lots of time building your website
- When you want to connect your own domain name, you have to pay a monthly subscription.
- Since you already have spent lots of time on building the website, you would “have no other option” that to buy they paid subscription.
What this means, in reality, is, you will do all the work yourself and end up paying for a service you thought was free.
The free version is fine for a personal website, however, it is not suitable for professional business use.
How much is your time worth?
Consider this; How much is your time worth? For an untrained person, it is time-consuming to create a website, it takes much longer than 5 minutes. Consider the result, will it help you reach your online goals and add value to your business?
The fact is in most cases Do-It-Yourself web builders, take away your focus and valuable time from your business. This brings us back to my initial question, how much is your time worth?
Calling these services free is actually a lack of respect for your time, assuming your time has no value at all.
Opinion
In my opinion do it yourself solutions are taking precious and active time away, from your business or free time away from family and friends. The fact is the time you spend on “creating” your website can be used on your company, focusing on your profession adding real value to your business. You should be focusing on what you are good at, and let professionals help you with your website. Most importantly creating a website is not just putting blocks together, there is a science behind it.
Anyone can make a meal, but not everyone can cook.
In the short and long term, hiring a professional web agency to craft your website will benefit you and cost you less time and money.
All we need to do is ask ourselves; would we fix our own tooth or would we let the Dentist do the job?
Am I against DIY web builders because I am biased and the CEO of a web agency? Absolutely, because I know what it takes to build a website or e-commerce platform, I understand the planning and the challenges that need to be solved.
